Scroll down (or up) if you're jonesing only for Hokies news, but I thought I'd chime in with postgame notes from the Cavaliers' 37-0 drubbing of the truly hapless Duke Blue Devils, courtesy of the UVa media relations staff:
- Virginia held Duke to 100 yards on 61 plays. Only one other time in Al Groh's six seasons did the Cavaliers hold a team under 150 yards: Akron's 84-yard effort in 2004. Other notable lows include 111 by Wake Forest in 1994, 127 by Maryland in 1997 and 51 by VMI in 1979.
- The defensive effort included holding Duke to minus-21 yards on the ground, the fewest under Groh. (Akron had 6 rushing yards in the woeful 2004 loss.) It was Virginia's first negative-yardage defense since a 1996 game in which Wake Forest rushed for minus-45 yards, the fewest ever by a UVa opponent.
- Unsurprisingly, that 1996 Wake Forest game was also the last time the Cavaliers had as many sacks (eight) as the eight they had today.
- After one quarter, the Cavs had 17 points. They had not scored more than 13 points in a game this season.
- Senior wide receiver and co-captain Deyon Williams played for the first time this season. He had been out since suffering a stress fracture in his foot and undergoing surgery early in training camp.
- Marcus Hamilton had two interceptions, moving him to second among active Division I-A players with 13 career picks -- Utah's Eric Weddle has 14 -- and fifth in UVa history. Hamilton has five career interceptions against Duke and two of his three multi-interception games.
- Josh Zidenberg became the first Cavalier to block two punts in a season (today, Wyoming) since Anthony Poindexter had three in 1996. As a team, Virginia hadn't had more than one in a season since getting two in 1998.
- Defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald had Virginia's first fumble return for a touchdown since Jermaine Hardy's against South Carolina in 2002. That last UVa defensive lineman to score a touchdown was Antonio Dingle, who ran back an interception 10 yards against Maryland in 1996.
- Mike Brown's 22-yard punt return -- the first of his career -- was Virginia's longest since Alvin Pearman had a 27-yard return against Maryland in 2004. [Ed's note: That's not saying much. Wherefore art thou, Marques Hagans?]
- Emmanuel Byers' 21-yard touchdown pass to Fontel Mines was the second of his career. Byers threw a 90-yarder to Deyon Williams against Miami last season. Wali Lundy also threw 2 touchdown passes in his UVa career. [Ed's note: Heath Miller only threw one.]
- The Byers-Mines pass was the first time this season UVa has scored on its opening possession.
- Jason Snelling's 23-yard run in the third quarter was the longest by a Cavalier this season. And then he ran for 27 yards on the next play. Snelling's 92 rushing yards were a season-high for a Virginia player. (He had 77 in the loss to Western Michigan).
- Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Kevin Crawford made his college debut in the third quarter. Wideout Cary Koch made his UVa debut; he played at Tulane last season.
- Tight end Tom Santi scored his first TD this season on a 12-yard pass from Jameel Sewell.
- Duke had not thrown an interception this season until today.
- Freshman defensive lineman Nate Collins had the first sack of his career.
- Virginia's 24 points in the first half are its most in a first half since they scored 27 points against Temple in the first half last season.
- Virginia improved its record to 21-4 under Al Groh when recording at least three sacks. The Cavaliers are also 17-5 under Groh when forcing at least three turnovers.
- Virginia's 1-yard, one-play drive following the blocked punt in the first quarter ties the all-time football record for shortest drive.
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